Customs Union only way to protect Wales from threat of hard border

Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood has warned that the only way to protect Wales from the damage of a hard border between Wales and its neighbours is for the UK to stay in the Customs Union.

She pointed out that Labour MPs have failed to protect Wales’ interests by voting against membership of a Customs Union as recently as November 20th.

Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood said:

“Plaid Cymru’s solution to the border problem is for the UK to stay in the Customs Union. Our MPs have consistently voted in favour of this in Westminster, but there has been a failure by Labour MPs to protect Wales’ interests in the way they vote.

“We are facing a weak and divided Tory government, but Labour has allowed a consensus to be built over leaving the Single Market and the Customs Union.

“Labour is failing to act like a proper official opposition in Westminster on this matter. It now needs to get its act together and work in the Welsh national interest.”

“The only way to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland is to ensure that northern Ireland stays in the Customs Union. Moving that border to the Wales-Ireland sea border however, would not avert the threat to the Irish peace process.

“The solution is for all four UK countries to remain inside the Customs Union after we leave the EU. This will ensure that all four countries in the UK will continue to trade goods freely with each other, the EU, and the 53 other countries with whom we have trade agreements, without border posts.

“The Labour Party has to stop pandering to Brexiteers and unite in support of continued membership of the Customs Union.”